Odisha cops begin investigating poisoning of six stray dogs case

Burla police on Wednesday registered a case and began investigation into the alleged killing of six stray dogs whose carcasses were found at the MCL’s Jagruti Vihar colony on May 28.

Inspector Panda said a case has been registered under section 429 of the IPC and Section 11 of PCA Act, 1960. (Representational photo| EPS)

SAMBALPUR: Burla police on Wednesday registered a case and began investigation into the alleged killing of six stray dogs whose carcasses were found at the MCL’s Jagruti Vihar colony on May 28. It is suspected that the dogs were poisoned by a woman.

On May 29, the chief security officer (CSO) of MCL had lodged a complaint with Burla police in this regard. As per the complaint, six dogs were found dead at different places in Jagruti Vihar colony. 

Later, carcasses of the animals were dumped near bushes along the National Highway at a distant location. Locals alleged that the dogs were poisoned.

The complaint further named a woman of the colony who is being suspected to have killed the dogs. According to the colony’s security personnel, the suspected woman had complained about the stray dog menace in the locality on May 26 after the animals damaged the seat cover of her vehicle. Surprisingly, the dogs were found dead just two days after the incident.

The CSO also submitted a copy of his complaint to the People For Animals (PFA), Sambalpur unit along with supporting evidence and pictures. The members of PFA took up the matter with Sambalpur SP B Gangadhar and Burla IIC Kamal Panda.

Subsequently, chairperson of PFA Menaka Gandhi contacted the Sambalpur SP on Tuesday to discuss the matter and insisted on registering a case under appropriate sections of Indian Penal Code as well as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Inspector Panda said a case has been registered under section 429 of the IPC and Section 11 of PCA Act, 1960. 

“We verified the CCTV footage but to no avail. We are yet to find any clue of poisoning as there is no witness,” he said.

Panda further said though the autopsy of a dog was conducted, the cause of death could not be ascertained as the carcass had decomposed by the time it was recovered. However, the viscera of the animal has been collected and preserved. It will be sent to the forensic laboratory in Bhubaneswar for examination to ascertain the cause of death.